Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718) by Daniel Defoe
page 60 of 78 (76%)
page 60 of 78 (76%)
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Restoring of King _James_ was decreed to be the Motive of a War when
they came to a Rupture. Upon the Decease of the King of _Spain_, _Lewis_ XIV diverted Europe with a fresh Scene of Politicks. He convinc'd 'em, that what he had done at _Reswick_ was a meer Decoy to gain Time and Breath, and bring greater Designs about. The Allies saw clearly he had been jugling with two Sham Treaties of Partition, but was underhand working to engross the Whole, and that the Son and Father at St. _Germains_ were always to serve to the same Purposes, and stand in the first Line of his _Manifesto_, to make the War plausible, and raise Factions in the Territories of _Great-Britain_. This was Fact, for no sooner were _Things_ ready in _Spain_ and _Flanders_, but King _James_ II departed this Life, which opportunity the _French_ Monarch snatched, and in a studied Royal Transport, exalted the young Striplings Expectations at St. _Germains_ by a solemn Protestation, that he wou'd never sheath his Sword till he saw him upon the Throne of his Ancestors, by which I suppose he understood no more than that titular Inauguration which was settled upon his Father at the Peace of _Reswick_. For had not the Affair of the _Spanish_ Monarchy prompted _France_ to this generous Declaration in Favour of the Son, 'tis highly probable the _Gallick_ Sword wou'd have rusted in the Scabbard, as it was lock'd up by the Treaty of _Reswick_, nor had it been now drawn but upon a more beneficial Provocation, than restoring King _James_, for if it was the Interest of _France_ to let the Father sit down quietly with the Title, nothing cou'd supervene to give the Son the Reality. Upon this Basis the War was renewed again on both Sides, and the Juggle was kept on with the Court of St. _James_'s, and great Pains were taken by the Emissaries of _France_, to buoy up King _James_'s Friends both at home and abroad, that _Lewis_ XIV was Sincere, and wou'd exert himself sooner and later in their Cause. |
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